


Time

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Mafia AU [5]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-08 00:06:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4283115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boy looked a little thin, and was in dire need of a haircut, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time

**Author's Note:**

> Alfred stays because it’s a job, and he cares for his charges. Once Bruce, now everyone else. Jason left like, four or five years prior. I got lazy on the ending, oops.

Alfred gulped as he knocked on the office door. “Sir?”

Bruce, Tim and Dick all looked up from the documents spread across the deck. Bruce cocked an eyebrow. “Hm?”

“I’m going out now.” Alfred explained evenly. “Are you sure you don’t need anything else from the store?”

Bruce grinned, and Alfred couldn’t help but think how much he looked like Thomas. How terrible that was. “Nope, don’t think so. But I’ll message you if we think of anything.”

“Very good, sir.” Alfred’s lips twitched up at the younger men. Tim and Dick look exhausted, like they hadn’t slept in days. He recalled Damian complaining at breakfast that he hadn’t seen Dick since the day before yesterday, so it was totally plausible that they hadn’t. “Don’t work too hard, please.”

Bruce, looking vibrant and well rested, laughed. “You know we never do, Alfred.”

Quickly, Alfred closed the door once more and hurried out of the mansion. He didn’t take the car, and hoped that Bruce was too wrapped up in the job he was working with the boys to notice. He practically trotted down the street, cutting through alleyways whenever he could. Keeping his head low, even avoiding gazes with the grocer. Because if she didn’t see him, she couldn’t report back to Bruce about his suspicious actions.

When he reached his destination, he found the front door unlocked, with a crinkled yellow note taped to it. _Third floor, 3F._

Alfred memorized the message, then dropped it to the ground, disappearing through the door. He scolded himself when he noticed he was taking the stairs two at a time, but didn’t stop himself. How long had it been anyway?

When he found 3F, he barely had his hand raised to rap against the peeling wood before it opened to reveal Jason. The boy looked a little thin, and was in dire need of a haircut, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered.

Silently, Jason stepped forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Alfred’s neck. Alfred repeated the gesture, taking in the strong scent of cigarettes. For once, he was happy to smell them.

“M-ma…Master Jason.” He breathed. Jason released him, giving him a grin as he led him back into the apartment.

“It’s definitely not the mansion, but it’ll do.” Jason laughed as the kettle began to ring on the stove. Jason practically skipped to it, working on the tea as he cut right to the chase. “How are the others?”

“Well enough. They’ll be better for knowing you’re alright.” Alfred smiled, sitting on the sofa. He could tell Jason had tried to clean for his visit. He always thought Jason was more thoughtful than he’d been given credit for. “I do believe young Damian thinks you’re dead half of the time.”

“Let’s be real, it’s probably better if it stays that way.” Jason said drily. “How old is he now anyway, six?”

“Eight.”

“Shit.” Jason sighed, bringing the tea over. “And…Talia?”

“Not one word.” Alfred whispered, taking a sip. Jason concocted it perfectly. “Not since she left. Damian quickly became quite…cold after that. He and Timothy have come to blows more than once in the past few years.”

“How does Bruce deal with it?” Jason practically hissed.

“Timothy was given the past year’s finances to go over again this last time.” Alfred said sadly. “Damian would have been starved for three days, if Richard hadn’t been there when Bruce laid down the punishment.”

“Damn.” Jason took a drink of his own tea, shaking his head. He glanced up at the sound of clinking. Alfred was shaking. “…Al? You okay?”

Alfred closed his eyes, placing his cup and saucer on the table in front of him. “I…I promised myself, when Bruce was a child, that I would do everything in my power to make sure he didn’t end up like his father. Like Thomas. And he’s not. He’s nothing _like_ Thomas.” Alfred dropped his face into his hand. “If anything, he’s much, much _worse_.”

“Alfred, you can’t blame yourself for that.” Jason urged, putting his cup next to the old man’s. He shifted over, placing his hand on Alfred’s back. “You did what you could.”

“But then what does that say about me?” Alfred shot back. “I raised a man who collects underprivileged children and mentally tortures them. Who had a son of his own and resents his very existence, denying him basic needs like food and sleep, just because he _can_.”

“No, Al you didn’t.” Jason returned quickly. “You didn’t _do_ that. And you know what? Maybe it didn’t work out with Bruce. But it sure worked out with us.”

Alfred looked up, wrinkled skin around his eyes already shaded red.

“It’s because of you I had the courage to leave, you know.” Jason smiled warmly. “You and your incessant swearing that we all deserved so much _more_. I didn’t believe it at first, not back when I was a kid. But when I got older? Hell, I _lived_ off of it. Telling that to Talia is what convinced her to give me that first month’s rent. Contrary to the popular belief that it was my award-winning smile, if you can believe it.”

Alfred let out a chuckle as Jason pulled him against his shoulder.

“But I believed it.” Jason mumbled fondly. “I know Dickiebird believes it. And Cassandra too, at least.”

“Really?” Alfred asked softly. “I never…it was just something silly. I never thought…”

“You might’ve gotten to Bruce too late, but I promise you Alfred,” Jason whispered, squeezing Alfred’s arm gratefully. “You got to all of us with time to spare.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Mafia AU stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/search/mafia+au)   
> 


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